Winter reds: Chris O’Toole and Cash Sunderland with Thursday night’s snapper catch from Corio Bay’s inner harbour.
Corio Bay
Fishing near Corio Quay on Thursday night, Chris O’Toole and Cash Sunderland were hoping for a couple of those big snapper that turn up here in the depths of winter. And as it turned out, they caught four from 4 kg to 7.5 kg from between 7 and 10.00 pm.
On Thursday morning, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck made an early start off the Western Beach moorings for snotty trevalla, and with the help of a liberal berley trail, were soon catching them on their baits of chicken, eventually reaching a final tally of 40. They also caught a number of small pinkie snapper that were returned.
Fishing with Munro soft plastics, Paul Mayer also had no trouble picking up snotty trevalla offshore from the cliffs at North Geelong and North Shore, along with several pinkie snapper to 40 cm.
Also visiting the Grammar School Lagoon, Paul spied a small gummy shark in the clear water. It was hooked on a length of line and snagged on cunjevoi. And, being a good Samaritan, Paul was able to set it free.
Victorian Inland Charters client Rob with his 3.43 kg brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Michael Evans).
a mixed bag of fish: Chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri and redfin and brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Michael Evans V.I.C.)
Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters says Lake Purrumbete is the place to go should you be looking for a trophy size brown trout: Michael’s client Rob picked up one of 3.43 kg on Saturday, while on Tuesday, Michael, along with deckhand Rex (Ruff ruff!) caught one of 3.68 kg. Both fish were caught casting OSP bent minnows along the weed beds just on dark.
Michael also fished Lake Purrumbete for redfin on various occasions last week, with clients, Rod, Roy and Roy’s son Sam. And, fishing with live minnow (from Lake Bullen Merri) on running sinker rigs in various depths between 16 and 25 metres, took catches of between 30 and 70 redfin from 25 to 40 cm.
Michael also mentions that nearby Lake Bullen Merri is still producing both rainbow trout to 1.5 kg and chinook salmon to a kilogram; the preferred baits being pilchard fillets and Berkley Powerbait. And, the lake remains a good source of live minnow.
a mixed bag of fish: Chinook salmon from Lake Bullen Merri and redfin and brown trout from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Michael Evans V.I.C.)
Michael Evans of Victorian Inland Charters with a sample of the redfin to be caught from Lake Purrumbete (Picture: Michael Evans).
Bellarine Peninsula
Mike Windsor of Clifton Springs Boat Hire reports that Paul Agterhuis and Kysan Notting, were initially fishing for squid on the east side of Point Henry where they took three good specimens before anchoring up on the whiting. They caught 18 to 40 cm as it turned out, using their freshly caught squid for bait.
Rod Ludlow of Beachlea Boat Hire at Indented Head reports that while clients have had no trouble catching flathead on the drift out in the deeper water, whiting have been absent and squid have been scarce.
Never the less, Andrew Phillips and Tony Greck, who – after their successful trip on the snotties off Western Beach on Thursday morning – took a run down to Point Richards after squid. And, although scarce, they eventually found a productive patch in 3-4 metres of water, returning with a respectable catch.
Victorian Inland Charters client Roy and his son Sam with a sample of their redfin catch (Picture: Michael Evans).
Offshore
Fishing for whiting near the wreck of the Orungal off Barwon Heads on Saturday, Simon Werner and a companion found them scarce too. Eventually though, they found a productive patch in 7 metres of water from which they were able to extract 9 good size fish, all around the 40 cm mark.
Fishing out a bit deeper with soft plastics on Thursday, Justin Burns and Simon Williams had no trouble catching any number of unwanted species, but no snapper or other desirables.
But, after coming back into the Barwon River on the evening high tide, they tried one more session, which as it turned out was fairly productive for they caught three silver trevally, all better than kilogram, a couple of good size mullet, and several small tailor.
Whiting competition
Hosted by the St Leonards and Bellarine Pirates Angling Clubs, the 2020 Bellarine Whiting Classic will be held over the forthcoming week: There are valuable prizes to be won in all sections from Nippers (9 years and under), Juniors (16 and under), and Adults.
· Fishing will be allowed from 2.00 pm on Friday July 10 until 2.00 pm on Sunday July 19; ten days in all, but you must enter before competing.
· Entries must be made by email to secretary.fish@bigpond.com and will be accepted up until 5.00 pm Friday July 17.
· Entry fees of $10.00 per person are to be paid by direct credit to BSB 633-000 1348 73140. Details are to include: “WC 20.1, along with your name.”
· Naturally, restrictions in respect of COVID-19 are to be observed.
For more info, phone: Phil 0411 215 146, Joe 0403 287 103 or Peter 0408 581 685.